The Festival
by AlanAlexHolc
Summary: In the end of the movie Smallfoot, a holiday was just around the corner. A holiday that signifies friendship, trust, and love. Is this a little corny? Yeah, it is. But it's cute and full of fluff. Enjoy.


It's that time of year again. Where the village is abuzz with excitement. Orange and pink lanterns stream across homes and workshops. Large icicles are carved in elegant patterns and strung over wooden posts by our mammoths. Every yeti rushing to and fro with food, furniture, and even more decorations.

Our ancestors had a tradition where if a male and female wanted to mate, the boy would have to go through a series of obstacles, each one challenging his strength, wit, and loyalty to his supposedly true love. If he managed to get through all of the tasks, he would then have to face the greatest, most difficult one of all; defeating the girl's father in battle. No weapons, no certain fighting style, nothing. It was just them and their fists. I've been told that most of the duels were brutal, nearly fatal. And once, or if, the male made it, he received the female's hand in marriage as a reward.

But many years later, we came up with a holiday that didn't endanger the men with broken bones and/or the lost of their lives. And was, in all, much more resolvable.

It is known as the Pairing Festival.

And it's today!

Tonight, men and women will join in dance, food, drink, and reluctantly choose someone to be with for the rest of their lives. It's the most exhilarating, most romantic time of the year and everyone enjoys it.

Especially me, Migo.

I've never participated in the activities before, due to age requirements, but this is my very first year. And like every other resident in our village, I am just as giddy as everyone else.

And nervous.

Boy, am I nervous.

I'm not gonna lie, I have my doubts. Ever since we found the mythical creature known as the Smallfoot, asking questions nonstop became a natural habit. Mostly to feed my curiosity. But now they taunt me.

_What if I don't find the one?_

_What if I don't find anyone ever?_

As a matter of fact, I know of a number of yetis who never married, usually out of choice, but for those who never wooed or failed to do so are known as the Outcasts. They couldn't find a significant other to mate with. They are rejected by society and considered lonely. They are never happy.

I fear that this will become of me.

Yet my father, Dorgle, told me that I'm practically guaranteed to find a girl what with my dashing good looks. He said it, not me. And he also said to not worry. It took him three years before he found my mom.

This, of course, comforted me.

But still, my doubts ring in my head like echoes in a deep, dark cave; hollow and endless.

I straighten up and continue with combing through the fur on top of my head. Dad says that for the festival, presentation is everything in meeting a girl, and I had to look my best. So with a final tug, I get out the very last knot and set my comb on my desk. I look down into the shallow pool in my restroom and my furry white face beams up at me, my reflection revealing a neatly groomed yeti.

Satisfied, I straighten my back and walk out into the the busy street. Sunset has arrived and the town looks spectacular in the dimming orange and yellow rays peeking through the mountain's crevices. I weave my way through the crowded paths, shoulder to shoulder with others of my kind. They wear bright, toothy smiles, but their eyes betray just how anxious they are.

Guess I'm not the only one.

Despite the fact that when a couple chooses to be together, it's ultimately the females choice. She becomes the head of the two; deciding where they will live, what their profession will be, and when they will have their children. She even names them.

The thought makes my hands go numb so I run them together in an uncertain manner until I can feel them again.

We stop at the ever familiar giant ice berg chiseled into the head of the very first Great Stonekeeper. His icy blue eyes seem to daze off into the distance, as if searching for something. Three people stand in front of it; Thorp, The present Stonekeeper, and Meechee.

My heart beat suddenly elevates at the sight of her.

I'm going to admit it to myself now before I can second guess myself; I really, _really _like Meechee.

I mean who wouldn't?

She's so amazing, smart, and brave. Did I also mention she is absolutely beautiful?

Because she is!

I've had a crush on her before I even liked girls. She's everything a boy could ever wish for and more. I catch movement out of the corner of my eye and turn to see her waving at me. I return it shyly.

The Stonekeeper steps forward as he clears his throat and the people go silent.

"Welcome everyone, to this year's Pairing Festival." He says in his booming, yet calming voice. The crowd cheers loudly and naturally quiets down when they know he's ready to speak again.

"This is a very special time of year, where men and women come together to find that special someone. To bring forth love and to become one in holy matrimony.

"Now let us celebrate and enjoy this blessed holiday with smiles and warm hearts." The Stonekeeper says, spreading his arms wide in emphasis. We all shout joyfully in agreement and begin to mill around.

Some people are so ecstatic that they introduce themselves right away. Shaking hands, exchanging names, inviting each other to the long table of snacks and beverages.

Yet others, such as myself, stand off to the side and watch. All of us waiting for someone to come up to us, or for the courage to step up to others.

I just stay there, fiddling with my fingers like a complete nervous wreck. I don't know what else to do.

Within a half hour, nearly everyone is socializing. Eating and drinking the rare fruit juice we only get this time of year. Supply and demand is too great for us to have the luxury of consuming fruit frequently, so we save it for incredibly special occasions.

Like now.

I'm one of the the handful of stragglers who still have not found someone to talk to. A feeling like cold stones dropping into my stomach makes me shiver. Dread.

Oh man! This isn't good. I should've found someone by now, I think worriedly.

"Hey, Migo." Someone says in front of me. I snap my head to see the one and only Meechee smiling up at me.

"Oh. Hey there." I say in return.

"Quite a party, isn't it?" She asks.

"Yeah. It's amazing. You know, this is my first year." I say.

I may as well start some small talk with her. It's better than being alone.

"Really? Me too." She says. We fall into an awkward silence and I shift uneasily on my feet.

Yes, I may like Meechee, but to her I'm just a friend. I know for a fact that she doesn't feel the same way about me as I do her. Which is okay. She may be my dream girl, but I'm not her dream guy and all I want for her is to be happy. And if that's not me, then that's okay, too.

Suddenly, she gasps. I look at her and give a confused expression. She smiles and chuckles nervously. My brows furrow even deeper.

"Laugh." She whispers.

"What?" I ask.

"Laugh like I just said something funny." She says again.

Without a second thought, I do as she says and I laugh. I'm actually surprised at how real it sounds when I hear myself.

Must be from being so on edge.

I continue to smile at her when I'm finished.

"Why did you make me laugh?" I say through my teeth.

"My dad is right behind us. He's expecting me to be on my best behavior." She says quietly.

I take the quickest of glances to see that, true to her word, the Stonekeeper watches us a few paces away. He grins warmly at me.

Grinning? Why is he grinning at me? Did I do something wrong?

I don't get the chance to answer my own thoughts before he leaves us alone.

"He's gone." I say through the corner of my mouth. She swivels her head around instantly and gives a big sigh of relief. I let out a shaky breath myself. I didn't know I was holding it in until I heaved it out of my chest.

"Have you found anyone yet?" Meechee asks, bringing me back to reality.

"To be honest, no. I haven't found anyone yet." I admit.

"Me either." She says.

What?! Really?!

Meechee, the beautiful daughter of our leader, found no one?!

Is that even physically possible?

Growing up, boys would whisper about Meechee when she walked by. I would observe how their eyes trained on her every movement and talk amongst themselves about how much they wanted her. And now hearing this in the present is almost unbelievable.

But nonetheless, I simply shake it off.

"Hey, what do you say we get out of here?" She suggests.

"Yes, please!" I say, relieved.

Okay, the festival is great and all. It really is. But the anxiety is torture! All of the pressure and lectures from our elders about how to act and what to say and do is practically crushing me.

How the heck do people do this year after year?

Meechee takes my hand and pulls us away, squeezing us through a narrow exit between two shops and we vanish into the night.

Somehow, no one sees us leave. I'm actually surprised, and yet not. Everyone is so busy with searching for a boy or girl to be with that they don't bother with what is happening around them. So with that, I leave it be.

Meechee leads us through a maze of neighborhoods and past the village entrance.

Sprinting together, our arms pumping by our sides, we dash away without any second thoughts. We end up running through the snowy drifts of the mountain slopes, sliding down the steep face expertly until I accidentally trip over my feet and knock both of us down. We tumble and skid until we stop next to each other in a heap of snow and limbs. And we laugh. But this time, we full on howl, clutching our stomachs and wheezing and gasping for breath; a real laugh.

We then take a stroll down the mountainside and talk. The sun has long since left and is replaced with a giant canvas of glittering stars. The moon gazes down on us in a heavenly glow. Puffs of white escapes our mouths on every exhale, proving to be chilly, but the cold isn't a bother. Besides, we've had worse.

We come upon a sharp cliff and Meechee drags us to the edge to sit down, side by side.

I've never been on this side of the mountain before. The drop from up here to the trees down below is much greater than what I'm used to, an extra hundred feet at least. Yet not too long ago, if someone were to sit here in this very spot, they would only see thick, white clouds unknowingly made by the yetis who dwell at the top of this mountain. But now, a wide, open landscape of frosted mountains and valleys stretch across the horizon. A small city twinkles below, surrounded by tall groves of pine trees.

"You know, I'm really glad." Meechee suddenly says. I look to her for a response.

"Ever since we found the Smallfoot and became friends with them, I've been really happy. Happier then I've ever been." She says, lifting a shoulder slightly. "Because now we can finally understand more about the world and see beyond the mountain. And it's all thanks to you." She says. She turns to me, smiling.

I can feel heat rising up my neck and to my cheeks. I hope she can't see it.

I rub the back of my neck at her comment.

"Well actually, it was you and the others who made the discovery. I just happened to see one. Lucky I guess." I say shyly.

"Yeah, pretty lucky." Meechee says distantly. Her eyes focus on the jeweled town below. The flickering lights sparkle in her eyes. She faces me again and her dazzling eyes flicker uncomfortably. I realize that that I've been staring at her this entire time and I immediately look away, embarrassed and my cheeks flaming.

Why am I so nervous?

Seriously, it's just Meechee, the girl who makes my tongue twist and string out words unintelligently. The girl who makes me forget everything as time slows to a stop.

Yep, there should _nothing _to worry about.

"Speaking of Smallfoot, did you know that they can make their beverages super hot and super cold?" Meechee asks abruptly.

"Actually yes. I do know that." I say. Some of the tightness in my throat loosens and I can finally breath normally. At least Meechee's trying her best not to make this a super unpleasant night unlike me.

"You know what else I know?" She says, her voice rising.

"And what may that be?" I ask quizzically.

"More than you about the Smallfoot." She states, smirking at me playfully.

"Oh really?" I say just as coyly. Whatever awkwardness had been in the air disappears almost immediately, replaced with a more friendly, mischievous atmosphere.

Thank goodness.

"Then tell me something I don't know." I say. As expected, she rises to the challenge.

"You're on." She says. She shifts her seating a smidge so that she is in a more comfortable position. "Well... lets see... oh! I got it! So, did you know that the Smallfoot and us actually share behavioral actions."

I blink at her.

"No, I did not." I say dumbfounded. "What kind of actions do we share?"

"A lot, actually." She replies.

"Can you tell me a few?" I ask.

"Sure. There's the..." She takes a moment to think. "Well, you know when you're nervous and your heart is pounding super hard? They act the same way."

"Whoa! Really?" I ask. She nods her head.

"And..." She draws out slowly. "...both of us have the tendency to hold hands." She says.

Just now, a light weight places down on my knuckles and I glance down to see her fingers lining against mine.

My eyes widen at our joined hands.

"I-Is that a-all?" I stutter. My nerves are now jumping under my fur, as if her hand is shooting lightning bolts into my bones.

"No, there's quite a few. But the one I remember the most is..." Her head raises up to mine and I'm suddenly hypnotized, captivated by her beautiful gaze and sweet touch.

I lean in closer, and if I'm not mistaken, so is Meechee. We are inches apart when-

_Crack_

Something underneath us gives a jolt. Our heads whirl around frantically in search of the movement and sound.

_CRACK_

It goes off again, louder. Resonating off of the tall stone walls. A wide crack has split through the ice right behind us, getting bigger by the second. It spreads rapidly from one side of the cliff's tip to the next in an instant. Before either of us can react, the crack reaches the edge and the large hunk of of ice we sit on falls with us with it. We plummet toward the ground, screaming and flapping our arms and legs helplessly. The wind whistles by as the floor gets closer and closer.

Out of pure instinct, I reach over, yank Meechee's wrist to me, and curl my body around hers, my back facing the ground.

_BAM_

The impact is like being hit by a giant mammoth from behind as I crash into the forest floor. Snowflakes and flecks of ice fly around us in a swirling mist. I hear another loud thud and the ground vibrates under me; the cliff's tip. When the flurry settles, we pant breathlessly together, the exhilaration taking its toll.

"Wow. I was not expecting that." Meechee says.

I look up at her and my breath hitches in my throat. She lays on top of me, her hands holding my shoulders. My own hands grip her waist and I freeze on the spot. Meechee doesn't seem to notice our state until she sees the thin line of my mouth.

When we yetis jump off of the mountain and onto the forest floor, the speed and momentum has us fall straight through the snow, creating deep craters in our shapes. This time, it's much deeper and there is barely any room for the two of us because of how we landed.

I've never been this close to a girl before, especially one I'm practically sure I'm in love with.

"Oh... um... uh..." I stammer. As if this night couldn't get any more unbearably awkward.

"Oh... sorry." Meechee says.

"No no no, you're fine. I'll just-" I say as I try to sit up when a sharp pain stabs right through my spine.

"YOW!" I screech.

"Are you okay?" Meechee says in a concerned tone.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just in a little pain." I hiss through gritted teeth.

"Are you sure-" She goes to ask.

"Yep. Nothing I can't handle." I reassure her. She doesn't look completely convinced, but otherwise lets it go.

"Okay. Just relax a bit, though. Maybe it'll go away." She counters.

"Yes mam." I say sarcastically, but I obey her immediately when she gives me a warning look. We stay there for a while, pressed together in deafening silence. A few tall pine trees peek through the top of the hole, stretching towards the inky black sky. I try to keep the muscles in my back slack as Meechee instructed. She repositions herself a little better so that her feet trail to the side, her long, lavender braid strays along my stomach, grazing my hip.

I look away, trying not to gape at it or her. I don't want to come off as some sort of creep.

"Hey, Migo. Can I ask you something?" Meechee asks quietly. I nod my head for an answer.

"I just...have to know." She ventures. "Why did you grab me when we were falling?"

I come up short. I have no idea why I had pulled her to me, as if I were trying to protect her.

"I don't know." I answer honestly. "I don't know what I was thinking. I guess I just... did." I can't help shrugging my shoulders a bit, which results in a stinging pain in my back.

Note to self: Stop moving so much.

Her eyes follow me and I'm once again lost in those blue orbs. They're just so big, so curious. They remind me of wide open skies.

That's when the most unexpected thing happens. In a flash, Meechee reaches up, cups my face, and kisses me.

KISSES ME!

It's just a peck, but I'm left staring at her with my jaw dropping wide open.

"I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me." She says nervously as she brushes a long lock of hair out of her face.

"It-It's okay." I say huffing. My heart beats against my aching ribs, threatening to crack a few of them. I forget that Meechee's hands rest against my chest because she speaks up.

"Your heart is racing." She says.

"Yeah. It is." I say back. Her fingers slowly rake through the thick fur above my collarbone and a shudder runs through me.

Somehow, I'm not afraid. If I had ever thought that a scenario like this would happen, I would think that I would freak out, any reasonable person would if they were me. But I'm not, and that puzzles me.

She suddenly leans down and kisses me again. But this time, I return it.

Have I ever kissed someone before?

No. No I have not.

So when I fully realize that I'm kissing Meechee, I stiffen in shock. My mind goes completely blank, but my body seems to know what to do.

My hands grip her thin waist, stroking the silky strands of her long fur and they slowly wrap themselves around her back. Meechee combs her fingers through my chest, my shoulders, all the way through my neck.

Our lips massage against each other as if they had practiced it a hundred times. A feeling spreads through us, warm and soothing; pleasurable.

When the need for air becomes too great for either of us to handle, we separate. Her short, hot breaths tickle my chin and a grin tugs at my lips.

"That was..." I say, unsure of what else to add.

"Yeah." She finishes. We chuckle nervously and avoid one another's eyes.

Something inside of me, something I had buried deep down for years, begins to come up. Crawling it's way from the pit of my stomach to the tip of my tongue. If I don't ask her now, I'm pretty sure it'll rip me apart from the inside out.

"Uh... Meechee?" I utter cautiously. She peers up, her features expectant.

"There's something I have to tell you." I say. She continues to look at me hopefully.

At this, I gust out my chest and prepare myself for the worst.

"Ireallylikeyouandiwantyoutobemymateforlife." I ramble out. She quirks her eyebrows, clearly confused.

"I'm sorry, I didn't get that." She says, with a lighter note to her tone. I take a deep breath and say it again, much slower this time.

"Okay. I really like you, and I want you to be my mate for life." I finally say. Her mouth pops open in a big 'o', and now that I've finally gotten that off my chest, I can't stop.

"I've had a crush on you forever, and ever since our adventures with the Smallfoot and spending time with you... I want to spend the rest of my life with someone who is brave, smart, and is the most beautiful person I know." I glance up at her, but she remains unmoved.

"It's you." I whisper.

All of a sudden, I begin to regret every single syllable that just fell out of my mouth. Sweat prickles my back bone and I fumble with my next words.

"But-But if you d-don't want me, i-it's okay. I just... had to let you know b-before you found s-someone else." I look away, too ashamed to even see her reaction.

Did I come off too strong?

Did I do the right thing?

I don't know. I don't know. I don't know.

I feel Meechee reach over and tilt my chin up to face her. She wears a sympathetic look, her gaze full of kindness.

"Migo, why would you think I would just turn away from you?" She asks. Confusion plagues my thoughts.

Wait, what does she mean?

"The reason I asked you to leave the festival with me was because I wanted to tell you how I felt about you. That I really like you and... I was hoping that you and me could... become... you know. Mates." She says attentively. I gawk at her as if another head has sprouted out of her neck.

She wants to be with me?

Like how I want to be with her?

I can't believe it!

"Really?" I squeak out.

She nods her head vigorously.

"Really?" I ask again and she giggles.

"Yes, Migo."

I laugh hysterically. I'm not sure if laughing is the most orthodox thing to do at the moment, but I can't help myself. All of the nerve racking preparations for the festival, my overwhelming feelings for Meechee, the sudden falling off the cliff, kissing the girl of my dreams, has been nothing but this huge emotional blizzard. Everything crashing onto me with the determination and almost deathly perseverance to blow me away into oblivion. Yet I'm later accompanied by Meechee, so I figure that it's not something to be considered unacceptable.

A thought doesn't occur to me until we're both shaking and roaring with laughter; We are in love, and that puts me to a stop.

I need to tell her. Now.

"Meechee." I say to get her attention. She quiets down and her face becomes suddenly worried, but I know not to fret about it, especially with what I'm about to say.

"I love you." I say. A sort of weight lifts from my shoulders and my stomach's innards unravel themselves from the nervous, twisting knots it has created.

Meechee's eyes spark and a smile spreads across her mouth.

"I love you, too." She says. I crane my neck up and give her a quick kiss. I can almost see a pink tint light up on her cheeks when I pull back.

"What do you say we get out of here and get back to the festival?" I ask.

"That would great." She says. I let her get to her feet and crawl out of the deep hole before I sit up and follow her. My back still hurts, but now it's just sore. At the least, it'll be better by tomorrow.

As we trek back up the steep mountain, I feel Meechee's hand clasp mine. Her soft, light touch is comforting and loving. Our two adjoined hands fit together perfectly, like two pieces of a puzzle.

Never in a million years would I have guessed that tonight would have gone like this. If someone were to tell me a day or two before what was going to happen, I definitely wouldn't have believed them.

And yet here I am, walking with the woman of my dreams who I now know loves me as I do her, miles away from the Pairing Festival.

Life has a way of unfolding itself strangely.

The end!


End file.
